Program Information and Application

You must bring a laptop to the program in order to complete course
assignments

Obtain your passport before March 1. If you are
interested in participating in the ASP in any given year, you should secure
your passport before March 1. If you already have a passport,
check the expiration date of the passport - your passport must
have a validity date that is at least six months beyond your
intended period of stay in the United States.

Course registration form for accepted students only.
This is an electronically fill-able form - please type in information
except for the signature part. Sign and date the form. For signature,
you can sign in Chinese, English, or whatever form that you will stick
to as your legal signature in the US. For home address,
enter your permanent home address (not your university dorm address).

Original bank letter (in English) showing a minimum balance of USD $3,800
or RMB equivalent - this is the minimum amount needed to issue you the
I-20 form by Georgia Tech. The US Consulate may expect a higher amount in
order to issue you the visa. Although the US Consulate may recognize other
forms of certificates of assets, Georgia Tech only accepts original bank
letter or statement to meet the I-20 requirement.
Instructions for preparing the bank letter.

Tuition and program fee payment in the amount of USD $3,000
is now due. Follow the payment instructions sent by your university.

Program Activities
(tentative schedule, subject to change)

Please note that the Language Institute organizes a separate
set of activities for all Language Institute students including
the ASP students, the Intensive English Program (IEP) students, and
other summer program students (from Korea, Russia etc) as well.
Please pay attention to those announcements sent from the Language
Institute.

Sunday July 12, 2015. Trip leaders to collect $40
per person Security and Cleaning Deposit. If you cause damage to
the dorm facility and/or do not clean up your room before you leave,
you will lose the security deposit. If it is your turn to clean the
kitchen and you fail to do so, you may also lose the
security deposit. If all is satisfactory, the security deposit
will be returned to you the evening prior to your departure.

Monday July 13, 2015.First Day of Classes.

Monday July 13, 2015.Obtain Your Buzzcard from
The Buzz Card Center located on the 2nd floor of the
Barnes & Noble Bookstore
at Georgia Tech. Visit during your schduled appointment time.
The program pays for the cost of your
Buzzcard (your photo ID as well as keycard for entry into your dorm
building). You must bring your passport with you to the Buzzcard
Center to apply for the card. Please complete the
buzzcard application form which is distributed at the orientation
session and bring the signed form with you to the Buzzcard Center. We
have a limited amount of time to card everyone on this day. You
are welcome to return to the Buzzcard Center on a different day to
deposit money into the buzz card to pay for meals and laundry, etc.

Tuesday July 14, 2015, 6:15pm. Kitchen tutorial and fire safety demonstrations.
Meet at the kitchen in the dorm building.

Monday-Friday @ 11:30am. If you do not have class in one
of the weekday mornings, we highly recommend you to join a
Free Guided Tour of the
Georgia State Capitol. Tours are available at 11:30am each
weekday and no reservation is required. The State Capitol is close to
the MARTA
Georgia State Station (change to East-West line at Five
Points station). Please bring your Georgia Tech ID (Buzzcard) with
you for security check before entering the building. Please allow at least
one hour of travel, transfer and security check time before the tour,
and you can wander around in the Capitol if you arrive early. Open government - video streaming of the
Georgia General Assembly Legislative Sessions is available.
Live coverage is available when the General Assembly meets from early
January to late March (or early April). Video archive is available
the rest of the time.
A sample piece of legislation:
Senate Resolution 225 "The Georgia China Future"
that was passed in the 2003-2004 legislative session.

Wednesday July 15, 2015: Deadline for
Online registration and payment for the Monday July 20 or Tuesday July 21 leadership challenge course. Cost is $22 (2014 price, subject to change in 2015).
Each session is limited to 24 participants. Registrations are accepted on a first-come,
first-served basis.

Turner Field: visit is arranged through the
American Popular Culture course

Date TBDFree movie
at Georgia Tech's Bobby Dodd Stadium across Techwood Drive from the
ASP dorm. Gates are open to the public at 7:30pm, and the movie begins
at 8:00pm. Access to the stadium
via the field tunnel off Callaway Plaza (adjacent to Gate 6). Check
here for what you
can and cannot bring to the stadium. This is a great opportunity to
experience the American culture.

Date TBD.Baseball Game
Atlanta Braves vs. team TBD Game starts at 7:10pm. This is an
optional activity organized by the Language Institute.
See flyer. Sign up at the Front Desk of the Language Institute before 5pm on
date TBD.

Saturday July 18, 2015, 8:30am-5pm.Day Trip to Madison.
Board the bus @ 8:30am on Techwood Drive close to the intersection
with Bobby Dodd Way.
No food or drinks on the bus. Sunscreen and comfortable shoes are
advised as you will be doing a lot of walking.
Itinerary: In the morning, we will
visit the town of Madison, GA, voted the #1 Prettiest Small Town in America by
Travel Holiday Magazine in 2001. Most recently, it is on
Budget Travel Magazine's
List of "World's 16 Most Picturesque Villages."
We will have lunch at a farm
and cool off at a lake on the property. In the afternoon, we will
head to the quaint little town of Rutledge, GA and join their
"Red, White and Blue" festivities celebrating the country.
Enjoy live music, face painting, water slides (bring a change of clothes!),
ice cream, shaved ice, BBQ and other good local eats. We are confident that this trip
will deepen your appreciation for the American South!
Click
here for
weather forecast for Madison, GA.

Sunday July 19, 2015, 10am-7pm.Trip to the
North Georgia Premium Outlets.
Board the bus @ 10am on Techwood Drive close to the intersection with
Bobby Dodd Way. No food or drinks on the bus.
On return, bus departs from the outlet
at 7:00pm. If you plan to use credit card at the outlets please bring
your Buzzcard (as a form of photo ID). Coach and
other high-end stores will check ID for international credit cards.

Monday July 20, 2015. 5:30-9:30pm: Optional
Leadership Challenge
Course. The cost is $22 per person (2014 price, subject to change
in 2015). This session is limited to 24 participants.
Online registration and payment are required by July 9.
For credit card billing address, enter the address (usually in China) where
you or your parent receive monthly credit card statements.
Registrations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.Meet at the Leadership Challenge Course @ corner of Ferst Drive &
Hemphill Avenue. Map.Clothing requirements: Closed toed, tie on (with laces) shoes are
REQUIRED; sneakers are best. Do not bring jewelry to the activity,
including watches, bracelets, necklaces, rings, earrings.
Detailed requirements.The Leadership Challenge Course is an outdoor classroom. We use the
facility to teach Georgia Tech students about leadership and teamwork.
It is a fun experience, but it is much more, too. It involves working
together with others to solve problems. Learning from your challenge
course experience requires that you think about it critically - that
you find meaningful connections between what happens on the course
and what makes a person an effective leader or team member in the
community and their job.
Here is a movie showing GT students on the course.
Click here
for video on the Chinese Youku site. Assumption of Risk and Waiver of Liability Form
- everyone must complete and sign this form prior to participating.
Pay attention to the weather forecast In Atlanta, any storm is
likely to pass quickly however, so we will proceed with the
leadership challenge course rain or shine.
In case it rains at the start of the course, we will do some fun exercises
in a covered space on-site until the rain passes.

Tuesday July 21, 2015, 1pm : Deadline for
Online registration and payment for the July
25-26 Outdoor Adventures Trip.
Costs are $100 for hiking, $120 for caving, $130 for rafting (2014
price, subject to change in 2015).
There are limited spots available for each activity: 10 spots for hiking, 10 spots for caving,
20 spots for rafting. Registrations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
You are required to complete and sign the ORGT Assumption of Risk
and Waiver of Liability Form and bring the signed form with you to the trip. If you make a mistake during
the registration process, you may want to click the "My Cart" button at the top of the page, remove the item
from the chart, and start all over again. If you want to pay for multiple students, you will have to repeat the
registration for each student.

Tuesday July 21, 2014. 5:30-9:30pm: Optional
Leadership Challenge
Course. The cost is $22 per person (2014 price, subject to change
in 2015). This session is limited to 24 participants.
Online registration and payment are required by July 9.
Please see the entry above for additional information about the course.

Date TBD.Pizza and Bowling
at the Student Center. See Language Institute
flyer.

Date TBD, afte sunset (approximately 9pm).
The movie TBD played on big outdoor screen
over Tech Green outside the Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons.
The movie begins at sundown and will be shown rain or shine. However,
should the weather become stormy or otherwise inclement, look for
announcements of possible venue change. No umbrellas please.

Date TBD. Free movie
at Georgia Tech's Bobby Dodd Stadium across Techwood Drive from the ASP dorm.
Gates are open to the public at 7:30pm, and the movie begins at 8:00pm. Access to the stadium
via the field tunnel off Callaway Plaza (adjacent to Gate 6). Check
here for what you
can and cannot bring to the stadium. This is a great opportunity to
experience the American culture. There will be fireworks following the movie!

Saturday-Sunday July 25-26, 2015.Optional Outdoor Adventures Trip.
Prices: $100 for hiking, $120 for caving, $130 for rafting (2014 prices,
subject to change in 2015). The above prices are all-inclusive: camp site,
camping gear, backpacks (if needed), caving/rafting gear, bus
transportation, food on-site, guides and outdoor activities.
You are required to complete and sign the ORGT Assumption of
Risk and Waiver of Liability Form and bring the signed form with you to the trip.
Click here
to register for the adventure trip.
If you do not have a credit card, you can ask someone else to pay on
your behalf.
This trip is organized by the GT Outdoor Recreations Department.
YouTube video from 2009 ASP;
also general video
about Georgia Tech Outdoor Recreation activities.

Wednesday July 29, 2015. Deadline to Oder Extra
Copies of Transcripts from the Language Institute. Each student will
receive 2 official (sealed and stamped) transcripts free of charge.
Extra copies of the official transcript beyond the first two cost
$3 each. Order additional transcripts through your trip leader
and pay the amount due by this date. Trip leaders should summarize
the ordering information (First Name, Last Name, GTID, Extra Copies
Requested, Payment Received) and email the Language Institute.

Friday July 31, 2015, 8pm.Move-out Inspection.
Housing staff will come and check the
cleaness of your room. The $40 security & cleaning
deposit will be returned to you upon satisfactory inspection.
Instructions.

Saturday August 1, 2015.Morning departure from Atlanta.

Financial Information

Access to Funds while in the USA

Make sure that you have some USD cash on hand upon arrival. It is not
easy to exchange RMB to USD when you are in the USA and the exchange rate
may not be as good as at the banks in China.

Using Chinese debit cards or credit cards to make purchases in the USA.
It is best to have more than one card in case the card that is drawn
from the Chinese bank is not widely acceptable in the USA. You may
be required to show your photo ID when making purchases by credit card.
Your Georgia Tech Buzzcard is a photo ID and should be acceptable to
vendors.

You may want to apply for a dual-currency (RMB & USD) Visa or
Mastercard in China.

You may be able to make purchases using your
银联借记卡 on any POS (point-of-sale)
machine with a PIN pad. For example, at IKEA, Publix, Wal-Mart, Kroger, etc.

You may be able to make purchases using your
银联信用卡 at most vendors that accept
credit cards.

Sales tax. In the State of Georgia, sales tax
is 3% for groceries and 7% for other items in most counties.
Since there is not a Value added tax (VAT) or goods and services
tax (GST) in the USA, don't expect to receive a tax-refund when you
leave the USA. According to this article, Louisiana is the only state
in the USA with tax-free shopping for international visitors.
Duty-free shopping is available at the Atlanta Airport
International Terminal. If you buy perfume, cream, lotion etc at
the duty-free shop, please inquire whether you will be allowed to bring
them onto the plane or through security at any transit
airport since there are strict limits on liquid, gel and lotions
that are brought onboard due to security regulations.

Tipping in restaurants with table service is expected.
It is customary to tip 15%-18% of the bill. Tip
20% if the service is outstanding, especially prompt or friendly,
or the server fulfilled many special requests.

Campus Recreation
Center (CRC): This 300,659 sqft state of the art facility
is a unique expansion of the existing swimming and diving venue
built for the 1996 Olympic Games! The CRC's five floors contain
a competition swimming pool, leisure pool with 184' water slide,
diving well, sauna, studio workout rooms, raquetball & squash
courts, basketball & volleyball courts and climbing wall. The
cost is $24 for the ASP students for the duration of their stay
(this is a great bargain since normally the cost is $5 per entry).
For those that want to use the CRC, the membership fee is the students'
responsibility.
Acceptable form of payment: credit card or buzz card fund. No
cash. Bring your buzzcard and payment to the CRC Member Services desk,
and identify yourself as from the "Atlanta Summer Program Group"
or "ASP Group". The clerk will check you off the ASP roster,
collect payment from you, and have you sign a liability waiver
form. You will then be entitled to unlimited access to the CRC
during your stay. Note that it is important to identify yourself
as an ASP student since our arrangements with the CRC is unique.

Campus Tour. Learn interesting and important facts about
Georgia Tech through a campus tour. Visit the Tech Tower,
Gilbert Memorial Library, Bobby Dodd Football Stadium, etc.
Tours are held Monday through Friday, starting at 11am or 2pm,
excluding holidays. This is a walking tour led by a current
Georgia Tech student. Comfortable shoes are advised.
In case of inclement weather, it is best to be prepared with rain
gear as the tour goes on rain or shine. Tours begin and end in the
Bill Moore Student Success Center. You must
register for the tour in advance.

Safety and Security

Please keep in mind that it is illegal for
persons under the age of 21 to consume alcohol in the USA!

Smoking is prohibited in all residence hall areas (room,
apartment, suite, common area, lobby, lounges, stairwells, elevators,
activity and recreation rooms, bathrooms, etc.). People who choose
to smoke must be outdoors at least 25 feet from any residence hall.

Do not leave food cooking unattended.

Do not to burn candles, incense etc in the dorm.

Smoke detectors
are located throughout each floor of the residential
hall. Smoking or high temperatured stir-frying can trigger the
smoke detector. If smoke is detected in the common areas, the fire
alarm system will notify occupants of the building and send a signal
to the central station monitor.

It is against Federal and State laws to tamper with or interfere
with life and safety equipment. Destroying fire exit signs, fire
alarm boxes and other safety items could lead disciplinary action
and the resident may be charged for the repairs/clean-up.

This is a group program. ASP students must arrive in
and depart from Atlanta as a group, led by SJTU or TJU trip leaders.
The program does not accommodate individual arrivals or departures.

You are not allowed to skip classes. You must be in
class for a minimum of 18 hours per week (=> 3 courses) in order
to maintain your F-1 student visa status. This is an immigration
requirement.

The program's insurance policy does not cover illegal
activities or unauthorized activities such as outside of town
travel (except when organized by the program).

TV on the Internet

hulu.com
Please avoid watching TV over the GT wireless network since
it will negatively impact other students' internet connectivity.
Instead, please borrow an Ethernet cable from Ms. Jinping Zhu and watch
TV using the wired connection from your dorm room. Each of you have a
wired internet login that is different from your GT Wireless login.
You can obtain your wired internet login information from Ms. Jinping Zhu.

Social Interactions and Leisure Activities

DramaTech Theater
is the student run theater at Georgia Tech. This is the oldest
continuously running theater in Atlanta, having been around since 1947.
Next performance: Aristophanes' The Frogs on July 6,
July 7, July 12, July 13, and July 14, 2012, starting at 8pm.

Atlanta Go Club:
The Atlanta Go (Weiqi) Club is an informal gathering of local enthusiasts
who meet once per week to play and discuss the game of Go. Players of all
skill levels are welcome, from the complete novice to the seasoned veteran.
The Atlanta Go Club meets every Tuesday night from 6:30pm until 11:00pm
on the second floor of the Georgia Tech Student Center.

Runnin' Wreck
@ Georgia Tech: Runnin' Wreck is an official GT club which
seeks to promote and develop the GT running community. When: Mondays,
Wednesday, and Fridays @ 7pm. Where: Stinger stop in front of the CRC.

Passport, Visa and Customs Procedures

Passport: If you do not have a passport, you must obtain one
before March 1, 2014. If you already have a passport,
check the expiration date of the passport - your passport must have
a validity date that is at least six months beyond your intended
period of stay in the United States. For example, if you plan to depart
the United States on July 26, 2014, your passport must be valid at least
through January 26, 2015. Renew your passport right away if this is not
the case!

Airlines and Airport Information

Airport pickup

If Atlanta is not your first point of entry into the United States (i.e.,
if you land in another US airport and then switch planes to come to Atlanta),
You will arrive at the Atlanta Airport domestic terminal
building. The baggage claim area for Delta flight is in the
Terminal South. Georgia Tech volunteers will meet you at the baggage
carousel for your flight.

If Atlanta is your first point of entry into the United States,
you will arrive at the Atlanta Airport international
terminal building. You will go through passport control, pick up your
check-in bags, and go through customs. Once you exit the customs/security
zone, you will see people greeting the arriving passengers.
That is where you will meet the Georgia Tech volunteers.

After members of your group are accounted for and have picked up
their bags, Georgia Tech volunteers will lead you to
the awaiting bus. Upon arrival at the Georgia Tech dorm building,
you will be given a key card to the building, a key to your dorm
room, and internet account login. You can then settle in and rest.

Restrictions on liquids and containers.
Don't keep perfume and cosmetic gift items (cream, lotion etc) in your
carry-on bag - they WILL be confiscated by the airport security. Pack
them in the check-in luggage, and keep the luggage closed but not locked.

Local Transportation

Tech Trolley provides service between
Technology Square, the Midtown MARTA Station, and the main campus

Healthcare

Insurance.
The program will pay for insurance with up to $250,000 in coverage.
Please read the entire brochure
carefully, especially the "Medical Benefits" and "Exclusions" sections. We
will apply as a group, so there is no need for you to
fill out the form individually. Please note that the first $100 is
the student's responsibility (deductible), as well as 20% of the
next $5,000. The plan pays the rest. Doctor's office can call
(770) 427-2461 to verify coverage. In many cases, the insured
has to pay for the medical bill first and get reimbursed by the
insurance company later.

Please note that ASP students are not eligible to receive services
from the Georgia Tech Students Health Center.

Miscellaneous Information

Don't forget to pack pillow, blanket, sheets, towels,
umbrella, cell phone, charger, medicines, etc. Ordinary daily
necessities can be purchased from stores near campus.
Pack light so you still have room in the bags to bring back gifts
and souvenirs.

Tap water in the US is potable - you can drink water
from the tap directly without the need to boil it first. Please
do not bring any 220V hot water heater. You can use the
microwave oven that is available on each floor to heat up
water in a coffee mug should you like to drink hot water.

Electricity in the USA is 120V, 60 Hz; in China this is
220V, 50 Hz. Electrical appliances from China may not work properly
in the USA due to the above differences.

Electric sockets in the USA have shapes
and .
Laptop chargers, camera chargers, and certain electrical appliances
from China may not fit into the sockets in the USA.
Make sure that you bring plug
adapters from China! It is very difficult to find plug adapters in the
USA that fit traditional plugs from China.

Use proper outlet adapters for
your electronics. Forcing the Chinese type plugs into the US style
outlets can spark the outlets (creating a fire hazard) and blow
the circuits.

Do not use masking tape, nails etc on the walls.
You will be ask to pay for lost keys, key cards or
any damages to the apartment. The fine for each lost key is $50;
the fine for each lost key card is also $50, all payable to Housing
Office.

US cell phone plan. If your cell phone works in the US cell
phone bands, you may want to get a US SIM card (cell phone number)
and a pre-paid plan such as T-Mobile's
"Pay As You Go Plan". There is a T-Mobile
store located in Technology Square, in the Centergy complex. Address:
85 5th Street, Suite A, Atlanta, GA 30308, Tel: (404) 685-8635.

Emory University.
You can board the free
Cliff Shuttle at the Emory University Hospital Midtown (EUHM),
formerly known as the Emory Crawford Long Hospital, nearby Georgia
Tech. Address of EUHM: 550 Peachtree St, NE, Atlanta, GA 30308.
Shuttle schedule can be found here. Service frequency is
once an hour during the day and early evening, weekdays (M-F) only.
Look for the EUH/EUHM line.